Charles l



fo i @with tatts @anni @time I. IMPROVED WATER LEVATOB. FOB. RAILROAD TANKS.

@in -Stlphult oferta tu in time trttcrs amt 4mit noting @im if the sono,

To ALL WHoM IT MAY CONCERN:

Be it known that I, CHARLES L. STEVENS, ofthe city of Galesburg, in the county of Knox, and State ot' Illinois, have invented a new' and improved Mode of Elevating Water into .Raiiroad Tanks; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a plan view of a rail platform, track, levers, and weights.

Figure 2, an end view of the platform andrtraek, showing side view of levers and weights.`

Figure 3, side view of track and platform, showing ends of transverse beams with friction-rollers at their ends, in vertical openings, i'n bed-sills. I

Figure 4, side view of plate a's constructed and attached to the side of the rail of tho platform.

Like letters in all figures of the drawings indicate like parts.

The nature of my invention consists in constructing the rail platform with.tluee transverse beams, having shaft rods pussed'cthroughthc same, and with friction-rollers on the ends of them. The said shaft rods; with the rollersthereon, projectinglinto suitable vertical openingsl into hed-sills under thelrails attached thereto, to serve as guides in .the mnvementrdf the platform 1 the centre of the transverse beamslhf thgplatform restino dirooflv on three friction-rollers attached to the ends of three levers so arranged that oy tne passage of cars over theN platform, and by means of weights connecting with the levers, that three pumps may be operated on simultaneously' by the action of the platform thereon; the construction of the' levers with friction-rollers on the ends of them, `giving an eusy movement to the platform, which, as has been found, renders this method the most simple, practicable, and less expensive than any knownmethod discovered heretofore. My invention has reference further to constructing the outer beams ofthe platform with friction-rollers to serve as lateral guides against the bed-sills in the depressing and elevating movement of the platform; also,in the construction of the plates on the sides of the rails of the platform, so as to attain solidity, strength, and durability, as to withstand the frcquent contact of .the wheels and the weight of tho cars thereon. It will be observed that my inventionis intended as an additional improvement to that heretofore patented by nie.

To enable others skilled in the art to make-and use my invention, I will proceed to describe its construction and operation. y l

i The rails, A, are constructed with side plates, a, suitably attached thereto, (sce iig. 3,) which rails and plates form the sides of the platform, being secured in a substantial manner to three transverse beams, 1b, which beams constitute the framework of the platform, (see same in dotted lines in g's. 1' and 2.) The beams are planked tightly thereon, which planking is secured thereto, between the rails, in aproper manner; the platform :1s thus weather-tight constrnctedprotecting the machinery connecting therewith, underneath, from the elements. Passing through the beams in a suitable manner, are shaft rods, which project sutliciently from the sides ofthe platform to receive. the friction-rollers, e, thereon. The two outer' levers, C, converge inwardly from the bedhsill to tho.

centre lever, C', (see fig. 1,) and are supported by fulcra, cl. At the ends thereof are rods, e, (see fig. 2,) which are supposed to represent the piston rods of the pump or rods connecting therewith. The levers extend from tho pumps to and through the side of the bed-sill, and projccttherefrom to labout midway between the sills D, (seo gs. 1 and 2.) Attached to the lovers in asnitable manner are weights, E, of the proper size, (sec figs. 1 and 2,) which are supposed to be suspended therefrom over the well for supplying the tank withwater, into which well the pumps are plaeedi The levers have their ends constructed with friction-rollers, f, arranged properly thereon the ends of which levers are elevated sufficiently from the points of their eonnectionwith the pumps by the fulera, to give the proper depressing and elevating movement to the platform when the `cars are passing over the same, which platform, as herein described, is placed between the track rails F 'at the point desired, and made to rest directly on the frictionLrollers of the levers by means of the transverse beams; tho friction-rollers of the shaft rods of the beams being placed immediately under the track rails into suitable 'vertcle openings, g, (see same in dotted lines in Eg. 3,) mortised ont on the inside of the bed-sills. A snliicient excavation o f the ground between Athe track rails is. first made before ythe platform is xed, to give the required room to thc operation ofthe levers underneath the same, The bed-sills are secured o'n the sides of the excavation and below in the omas most substantial manner. The levers above remarked are plaeerl below` the surface of the track and operate through the sill as herein described; The bed-sills are cut down vertically about half of the thickno s of the sill or thereabouts, to receive the platform.' The vertical openings, as mentioned, to receive the fricL ollers of the shaft rods, are thence mortised out on the cut side of the sill. The object of the side plates constructed on to the rails of the platform is not only to attain strength and durability, as remarked, but is to keep the sides of the platform closefso as to render it impossible for any xnaliciously disposed person to insert anything between the sides of the platform and the track rails calculated to throw the cars off from the saine; the track rails being so constructed on theedges next to the side plates of the platform, as to give a close lit, and at the same time suicicntly loose as to allow a free movement to thc platform. On the corners of the outer beams are plates suitably arranged with friction-rollers, h, which rollers serve as lateral guides against lthe sides of the sills to keep the corners of the platform from catching on to the same on being depressed, and thus allow the corners or ends of the platform to rise uniformly to its proper relative position to the track rails. The frictionrollers of the shaft rods, as will be observed play or operate into the vertical openings in the bed-sill on the curved and straight sides thereof, which serve to give an easy' and steady movement to the platform. On the platform being depressed, and upon its rising, the friction-rollers arc brought up, under, and against the track rails, thus preventing the platformigoing any further, which arrangement gives it proper relative position to the track rails upon every ascending movement of the platform.

' Operation.

A train of ears when arriving on the platform causes an easy depressing movement thereto, by virtue of the friction-rollers in their connection with the levers operatingv under the beams, which movement is imparted correspondingly to the levers; thc weights attached thereto being countcrbalanced by thc weight of the cars of the train on the platform, this movement causing the ends of the levers to ascend, which gives the upward stroke to the rods of the pump each truck of the car giving an upward stroke, and the weights elevating the platform to its proper position above the track rails upon the immediate departure of cach truck therefrom, giving the downward stroke to the rods of the pump, and so on alternately.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim therein as new, and desire to secure by Letters 1. The arrangement of the three leversiC C C, constructed with friction-rollersfon their ends for operating the pumps by thc depressing and elevating movement of the platform beams b, resting directly thereon, ,and weights Econnccting therewith, substantially in the manner and for the purpose as set forth.

2. I claim weather-tight planked rail platform resting directly on the friction-rollersf, of the ends of Athe .levers C, substantially in the manner and for the purpose as set forth.

3. VI claim the platform beams 11, having shaft rods constructed with friction-rollers c oria their ends, and operating in vertical openings g, in the bed-sills D, and under the rails, substantially in the manner and for the purpose as set forth. a

4. The friction-rollers i, as arranged on the corners of tlrc ends of the platform to serve as lateral guides in the depressing and elevating movement of the platform, substantially in the manner and for the purpose as set forth.

5. The Weights E, as arranged in their connection with the levers, substantially in the manner and for the purpose as set forth. 4

6. The side plates a, on the sidesv of the rails A of the platform, substantially in the manner and for the purpose as set forth.

I GHAS. L. STEVENS` Witnesses W. Beams, JAMES E. Fxrou. 

